na

ike dry leaves as Sofia twirled before the

he commanded the seamstress, her voice imper

lded tightly in my lap. To them, I was less than a ghost; a ghost at least h

k knew the name Dante Moretti. And everyone whispered the rumors about his '

tion in the glass with a smirk. "Fetch me som

lead, anchored by the weigh

om where the refreshments we

r next to the silver champagne bucket.

curiosity. But I was a dead woman walking,

ying a secure messaging interface. A notificati

ussians are satisfied. Secure th

ribs. It wasn't just jealousy clouding my mi

re you

un a

bridal gown and more like a shroud. Her eyes were hard, entirel

tion choking me. "You aren't Giulia. Giulia couldn'

ld, sharp thing, like a r

in Sicily, tesoro. She died

closing around a heavy cryst

e going to

iced motion, she brought the heavy crystal

ould react, she grabbed a jagged dagger of g

ast, blooming like a morbid r

s bloodcurdling, a perfect pitch of

t door b

the scene-Sofia bleeding, clutching her a

m for threats. He saw only the crimson staining the white dre

le

om in two strides

the wall. My head cracked against the p

down the wall, clutching my spinning he

chest. He gathered a sobbing Sofia into his arm

!" I begged, point

ute disgust, he kicked the device, sending

terrifying, icy calm. "I tried to be patient. I tried to heal you. Bu

me to the car. Instead, he hauled me out the back exit, into the nar

f the kitchen. The staff froze, knives hover

ght to the industri

o cool off,

! It's zero de

ld will freeze the r

ew me

metal floor hard. The cold assaulted me instantly, b

The latch clicked with a fina

kne

kles split and bled. I screamed unt

iolent tremor taking over my body

igned his own

mi